Zastava M70A

I paid $300 for mine two years ago and like it. I would like it a lot more if it had cost $200!

Are these 7.62mm Tokarev or in 9mm?

Lone Star said:

Are these 7.62mm Tokarev or in 9mm?

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The M70A is 9mm but they still make both.

Got mine for $200 plus extra mags @$20.00 each where I bought the gun. It's crude rude and a blast to shoot. Very light perceived recoil to me. Accurate but the sights are "basic"

Never so much as a hiccup with any ammo. Steel cased cheapo ammo? Eats em like hors-d’œuvres.

If they allowed handguns where I lived I would jump on it.

I would suggest anyone with some common sense get one of these if they need a high quality affordable no frills firearm while they are still able to import them.

Solid, all steel, military design handgun. Finish is a little rough, but it is fun to shoot and very thin. Not much recoil with the weight, and my safety seems solid. On mine I had 2 issues: had to drift my front sight to center it up, and the retaining clip on the take down pin would walk off during firing. I've replaced that clip & it seemed to solve the problem. For $300 out-the-door a couple years ago, it's a fun range gun, and the design is neat - the "Russian/Soviet 1911".

Maybe he was trying to use clips and found out it actually uses magazines.

I don't think the clips are defective, but they can be "sprung" if you get sloppy re-engaging them (don't ask how I know ) and their retention can suffer as a result.

Kinda reminds me of my Husqvarna 1907. Converted from 9mm Long Browning to .380 except the Husq has a grip safety. Actually more accurate then it should be.

"Kiln: Maybe he was trying to use clips and found out it actually uses magazines."

hadn't thought of that! This handgun uses clips & magazines! (See photo- red pen pointing to the clip)

Mine "walked off" in its first trip to the range. Maybe I sprung it in the initial cleaning. The replacement one I got fit snugger - it was used from parts off a true TT33.

I bought one a few months ago.

It's alright. I've only shot it one time at the range, but fired about 150 rounds through it without a hitch. The trigger isn't the best to say the least. I actually have six magazines for the gun, I though I'd like the thing more than I actually do. Don't get me wrong, it's alright, but it was an impulse buy and I've sort of cooled to it.

It is what it is: a cheap, all-steel 1911 style military handgun. Not bad for the money, but frankly I don't dig it as much as when I first bought it and I have plans to sell it soon. I find my 9mm is better fodder for my Glock 19, a much better combat handgun.

If you need some extra mags, shoot me a PM. We could work something out.

I never see any mention how "sturdy" the magazines are, these things are solid! I think you could use them as jack stands in a pinch

I probably deserve to get flamed for this BUT Eastern European firearms often follow the form of their women, at times not the most attractive, but extremely serviceable. Anyone remember that Jimmy Soul song"If You Wanna Be Happy" ????

Don't know if I mentioned it at some point when discussing this gun, but I removed the magazine disconnect safety on mine. Now the mags just drop out of the gun when you hit the mag release. Makes it that much more "serviceable" IMO

Got one a year ago. Like it a lot, except for that backwards safety and mine has the retention clip problem. I have a military Zastava in 7.62X25 that does NOT have the same problem. And it has an add on safety that works exactly like a 1911s and is actually one of the best mods I have ever seen on any firearm.

Where can I get a replacement clip?

Was looking at one of these a couple of years ago when I was looking for a "truck gun". I like how it handled (slim too) and price was good (about $300), but wasn't keen on the controls. Ended up with S&W 6906 ex-LEO.

I've got the compact version, the M88a, paid about $230 for it if I recall, last year. I like it a lot. Nice finish on the exterior and extremely rough inside. Cleaned it up a bit with stones and wet paper and worked the hammer sear connection many times. The gun is much smoother now and after 50 rounds with maybe one failure per mag, shoots 100% reliably now. Trigger is still heavy at 8 or 9 lbs but I still shoot it very accurately. Supposedly if you remove the mag disconnect it knocks 3lbs of the of the trigger pull but I have not done it yet. Cheap, accurate, all steel, fun to shoot, reliable after break in...and not everyone has one. Pic of mine with my 75b (since replaced by glossy 75b).
9 fingers

It's a commercial Tokarev. They're good guns. Accurate, reliable, and a proven design. The clip shouldn't walk off through normal use. If it does, though, you can get replacements easy. You could also just substitute E-clips.

I'd like to get an M70A, although I don't really have any justification for it since my 1953 Romanian is so rock-solid. She's not nearly as pretty, but she can SHOOT, and the trigger block safety on mine works well.

I know I'm resurrecting a thread from a couple months ago, but one little thing I wanted to pass along regarding Zastava M70A magazines: Walther P38/P1 magazines can be modified to fit the M70A.

I saw the question about if the Walther mags would work in some forum several weeks ago - don't remember which one. Since I have a P1 & a M70A, I checked fit and function. I held a P1 mag filled w dummy rounds in the Zastava, and cycled the slide. The cartridges fed & ejected, and the empty mag held the slide open. So far, so good.

In the last week I got around to ordering a couple of extra P1 mags & they arrived today. Since the P1 has a heel mag release there are no mag catch holes along the sides. Even if my experiment wouldn't work, I could always use them in the Walther.

Using needle files, I filed out a notch matching the M70A mag opening as closely as I could (measure carefully, file slowly). The results are in pics below. Hand cycling for function, it works. The angle of the mag base is slightly different than the originals - not pretty, but it works. I'll need to check it at the range - if it fails I'll report back. So, if you can't get extra mags for your M70A, you can make some from P1 mags.

I just bought a Zastava M57 from Buds. I haven't got the gun yet but I like the price $267.00. I wish I bought one for $200.00 that is a great price for a new gun. I wanted the 7.62x25 round, I own enough 9mm's. Toyed between the Polish Tok C&R and the new Zastava guns. Same price but the Polish gun has a make shift type manual safety, iffy. At least the Zastava is warrantied. I ordered ammo for it so it should all come in at once. Can't wait to try it out.

Maybe I just got a lemon but it was a total jamming POS!After several hundred rounds through it I sold it at a loss just to get rid of it.I watched a video from Nut-N-Fancy who sold me on the idea.Big mistake.Maybe you guys have had better luck,I couldn't wait to take it to the range and shoot it ,I was so disappointed.

I'm thinking my m70a may have been defective, but I don't know exactly why...others talk about the light recoil, but mine was surprisingly stout. With a fair amount of muzzle blast...darn loud, in fact, which the range officer commented on. Brass always hit me right between the eyes. And many jams.

I sold it off, but if I had it to do over again, I'd have sent it back to CAI for inspection. I LOVED the way the gun felt and looked. ANd was very accurate. Just unpleasant to shoot....not the experience others had. Don't think mine was typical.

I understand some have had great luck with this pistol, I'm not so fortunate.

Since my last post, my M70A developed a problem were the hammer would drop with the safety in the "on" position... I fixed that issue though with some gregarious filing of the trigger bow. But, this thing chokes on all the hollowpoint ammo I've shot through it... and will occasionally stovepipe on ball 115 grain ammo.

All in all, it's one of the pistols I wish I'd left on the shelf. I'm a revolver man at heart, and now I know why.

Slappy White said:

Just picked one of these up from Buds for $200. I figured that was a good buy. Anyone have any experience with them?View attachment 208930

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I have 2....changed hammers with half cock safeties....GREAT carry gun W/147 gr.